A Great Downtown

The commitment to a great downtown traces to the mid-1980s when the City Council made the strategic decision to keep city hall and city offices on Vernon Street instead of moving out of downtown. Twenty years later, a 26-member steering committee comprising of citizens and business owners developed a common vision for our downtown through a multi-year process of public forums and meetings.

This effort produced the Downtown Specific Plan, which the City Council adopted in 2008 as our blueprint for development. The City identified resources, including tax-increment funding from the Roseville Redevelopment Agency and the City’s Strategic Improvement Fund, to construct future public improvements. Based on the specific plan, the City has completed significant projects this past year and more are underway:

Vernon Street Town Square - The Parks, Recreation & Libraries Department has assumed temporary responsibility for programming activities and events year round in the town square. Events such as holiday gatherings, family festivals, farmers markets, and concerts have drawn thousands downtown. As reasons increase to visit this walkable, family-friendly area, more people will patronize businesses, visit theaters and galleries, and attend special events, building a stronger business base and sense of culture and community identity.

Oak Street Improvement Project and Roundabout - To help revitalize downtown, improve traffic safety and ease traffic congestion, construction on the Oak Street Improvement Project began in April 2014 and will continue through the end of 2014. The project includes a roundabout at the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Oak Street. Although the construction is expected to cause significant congestion, when completed, the project will improve traffic flow and create a landmark entry feature into downtown. The installation of traffic signals and reconfiguration of entry and exit points to Oak Street parking will improve safety while enhancing the aesthetic appeal of Downtown Roseville as a destination.

Parking Infrastructure - In FY2014-15, staff will bring forward a parking management plan for Downtown Roseville, including opportunities to add parking structures to meet the increased demand generated by new businesses, the town square, and events.

Downtown WiFi - The City is working on a public-private partnership with Consolidated Communications to offer free Wi-Fi access downtown, which will be available in FY2014-15.

Cultural Arts Strategy - A Cultural Arts and Entertainment Strategic Plan was undertaken last year to develop a community vision and strategy for the arts. With input from Placer Valley Tourism, the Chamber of Commerce, arts organizations, community groups, and business and community leaders, the plan provides an assessment of current arts programs and facilities, as well as financial resources. With implementation for the arts portion scheduled for FY 2015-16, the entertainment portion of the plan is being coordinated with the Master Developer and will begin implementation in FY2014-15.

Roseville Community Development Corporation - In 2010 the City Council took the strategic step of establishing the Roseville Community Development Corporation (RCDC), a private nonprofit, 501c(3), with the purpose of expanding private and public investment in downtown Roseville. Development corporations fill a critical gap between what the public sector can do and what the private sector is willing to do by forming public-private partnerships and exploring development funding options that include federal and state grants, tax credits, and tax-exempt financing. For more information about RCDC operations, see http://www.rosevillecdc.com/.